How to Make The Perfect Boiled Egg (+5 ways to use them)
June 22, 2017

When it comes to food that is delicious, nutritious, inexpensive, and quick to prepare – eggs have it all. To elevate your recipes, add a perfect boiled egg.

Eggs are versatile and quick

They can be soft-boiled, hard-boiled, over easy, sunny side up, fried, scrambled, or poached (although our favorite is a perfect boiled egg since it’s easily portable). Moreover, when eating eggs, they aren’t constricted by a time of day – they can be an excellent choice for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or even as a mid-day snack. But the best part? They only take a few minutes to cook!

Eggs are nutritious and inexpensive

From our brains to our bones, eggs contain many important nutrients that fuel the body. As a high-quality protein source (1 egg = 6 grams of protein), eggs help to build, maintain, and repair muscle (with only 70 calories per egg). Additionally, at 15 cents a serving, eggs are one of the least expensive sources of protein. So when paired with a healthy whole grain carb, eggs help keep you energized and satisfied without breaking the proverbial calorie bank. And don’t be afraid to eat the yolk — it contains vitamins A, D, and choline, all of which support metabolic function. Egg yolks are also rich in carotenoids, which are essential to eye health and help protect against inflammation. Carotenoids need to be eaten with fat in order for the body to absorb them properly, which makes eating the whole egg the perfect package.

The perfect boiled egg in five easy steps

Depending on how you want to use the egg in your recipes, all you need to do is watch the clock. We did some testing in our HelloFresh kitchen to make this handy guide and show you exactly how to make the perfect boiled egg.

Step 1: Place an egg into a pot

Step 2: Cover egg with cold water (this helps you better control the outcome)

Step 3: Bring water to a rolling boil (large bubbles should break the surface of the water)

Step 4: Take pot off the heat source and cover with a lid. Then, leave egg in covered pot 2-14 minutes (depending on how runny or firm you want it to be)

Step 5: Submerge egg in cold water and peel off the shell

Five fun ways to use boiled eggs

Let’s get to the good stuff: how delicious boiled eggs are and how easy it is to cook with them. Here are some simple recipes…

Soft-boiled egg: Use the 2-minute egg

Eggs can be perfectly wonderful all on their own. Try them soft boiled as a creamy addition to your morning whole wheat toast.

Ramen with a soft-boiled egg: Use the 4-6 minute egg

If you’re making ramen at home, don’t forget to put an egg on it. Leaving the egg slightly runny will lend itself to a richer and heartier broth.

Serves 2

Ingredients

8 Ounces Pork Tenderloin

1 Tablespoon Sesame Oil

4 Teaspoons Garlic, minced

3 Teaspoons Ginger, grated

1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce

2 Tablespoons Rice Wine Vinegar

4 Cups Stock (chicken or vegetable)

2 Eggs

4 Ounces Dried Ramen Noodles

1/2 Cup Green Onions/Scallions, sliced

1 Tablespoon Sesame Seeds

Sriracha hot sauce (optional)

Instructions

Cook the pork: Preheat oven to 400ºF. Salt and pepper tenderloin to taste. Bake 20-30 minutes or until pork reaches 145°F when tested with a meat thermometer. Transfer to cutting board and set aside. Slice pork into 1/2-inch slices.

Sauté the aromatics: Heat sesame oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add garlic and ginger and cook until soft and fragrant, 2-3 minutes. Stir in soy sauce and rice wine vinegar and cook another minute. Add stock and bring to a simmer about 5 minutes.

Boil the eggs: Meanwhile, bring a small pot of water to a boil. Once it has reached a rolling boil, pull pot off heat, cover with a lid, and leave eggs in hot water an additional 4-6 minutes for a slightly runny yoke. Remove eggs from pot and place in a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. After a few minutes, peel shells off carefully and slice eggs in half lengthwise. Set aside.

Cook the noodles: Add ramen noodles to stock mixture and cook 2-3 minutes or according to package instructions. Add hot sauce, to taste.

Finish and enjoy: Divide soup into 2 large bowls. Add ramen noodles and sliced pork. Top with an egg and green onions. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve immediately.

Niçoise salad with a hard-boiled egg: Use the 8-10 minute egg

Give your salad a Mediterranean makeover. Using boiled eggs over leafy greens is a great way to add in extra protein for this quick-assemble meal.

Serves 2

Ingredients

2 Tablespoons White Wine Vinegar

1 Tablespoon Dijon Mustard

1 Teaspoon Honey

4 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 Head Romaine

2 Roma Tomatoes

1 Bell Pepper (red, yellow, or orange)

1 Ounce Assorted Olives

8 Ounces Canned/Jarred Tuna, packed in olive oil

2 Eggs

4 Ounces Green Beans

8 Ounces Small New Potatoes

Instructions

Make the dressing: Whisk together vinegar, Dijon mustard, and honey. Add salt and pepper to taste. Slowly drizzle in olive oil until combined. Set aside.

Boil the eggs: Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Once it has reached a rolling boil, pull pot off heat, cover with a lid, and leave eggs in hot water an additional 8 minutes for a mostly firm yoke. Remove eggs from pot and place in a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. After a few minutes, peel shells off carefully and slice eggs in half lengthwise. Set aside.

Cook the green beans and potatoes: Using the same saucepan of water, add green beans. Cook until bright green, about 3 minutes. Drain and place in an ice bath. Drain again and set aside. Refill saucepan with cold water, then add potatoes. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook until potatoes are tender, about 15-20 minutes. Drain and let cool.

Egg sandwich with a hard-boiled egg: Use the 12-14-minute egg

A sandwich can be made without meat and still be filling. Those sliced eggs will look like happy rounds of sunshine peeking out between the slices of bread.

Serves 2

Ingredients

4 Slices Whole Grain Bread

2 Eggs

1-2 Tablespoons Light Mayonnaise

2 Ripe Tomatoes

1 Small Head Gem Lettuce

Instructions

Boil the eggs: Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Once it has reached a rolling boil, pull pot off heat, cover with a lid, and leave eggs in hot water an additional 12-14 minutes for a firm yoke. Remove eggs from pot and place in a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. After a few minutes, peel shells off carefully and slice eggs in half lengthwise. Set aside.

Prep the ingredients: Meanwhile, thinly slice lettuce and tomatoes.

Assemble the sandwich: Spread mayonnaise on each slice of bread and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Add egg, tomato slices, and lettuce.

Pickled eggs: Use the 14-minute egg

Experiment by pickling eggs so that you can grab one on the run. This is typically done with a hard boiled egg that is cured in vinegar, plus the addition of your favorite herbs and spices. You’ll be surprised by just how flavorful they are!

Boil the eggs: Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Once it has reached a rolling boil, pull pot off heat, cover with a lid, and leave eggs in hot water an additional 14 minutes for a completely firm yoke. Remove eggs from pot and place in a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. After a few minutes, peel shells off carefully and slice eggs in half lengthwise. Set aside.

Make the pickling brine: In a saucepan, combine vinegar, water, salt, pickling spice, most of the shallot (reserve a couple slices), and peppercorns. Bring to a rolling boil.

Pickle the eggs: Place eggs into a 1-quart wide mouth jar. Pour hot brine over eggs in the jar. Place a couple slices onion on top and seal the jars. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate 3 days before serving.

Bottom line, eggs are an “egg-cellent” addition to your daily meals (I had to put at least one food pun in there)! If these perfect boiled egg ideas have you inspired, go ahead and boil up a whole dozen. When unpeeled, they’ll last up to one week in the refrigerator.

If you want to really mix up your egg game, read up on our advice for how to successfully poach eggs.

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